Question 1 - Yellowknife is entering a significant economic transition as the NWT's diamond mining industry changes, with two mines now moving through closure while many of the major projects expected to create new economic opportunities are still several years from full construction. What should Yellowknife be doing now to navigate this transition and position the community for long-term economic success?

Yellowknife has been here before. Boom & bust cycles from mining is that communities do best when they start diversifying while the current economy is still supporting city and community costs. We shouldn’t wait for the next big project to arrive. We need to ensure there is an always present economic baseline that helps ensure economic stability.

In regards to the city, it should use what it controls: land, services, permitting speed and provide a stable tax environment. Companies, development corporations and entrepreneurs decide where to invest partly on how predictable and quick it is to get things approved. Time is money. I want the city to be an easy partner and make things simpler, fast, better while ensuring safety remains at the forefront. Second, I support pursuing federal dollars tied to DND’s growing investment in the North, including water and sewer servicing behind the airport. That kind of infrastructure unlocks private investment and positions us as the logistics, service and supply hub for northern projects, as well as for defence and the public sector. It lays a foundation for additional projects and opportunities for years to come. Diversification also happens at the small scale. Tourism, the creative economy, the arts economy, food, trades, and local retail and services all keep dollars circulating here. We need to ensure the city provides low-cost entry points where someone can test a business before taking on a lease and help mitigate risk and make taking an entrepreneurship chance attractive.

Finally, council should be open about the numbers. Residents should see budget scenarios early, before the draft budget, so we plan for a changing tax base rather than react to it.

Question 2 - Crime and public safety concerns are also creating direct costs for Yellowknife businesses through theft, property damage and increased spending on security and other measures to protect their employees and property. As a member of City Council, how would you address the impact these issues are having on the business community?

My family & I come from a perspective as whose family runs a downtown retail bricks & mortar retail business, in the upper mall, so I understand the cost: the broken window, the shoplifting, the staff who feel uneasy closing up at night, and the security spending that comes straight out of thin margins and high operating costs. We wanted to lead by example in doing our part to help revitalize the downtown, by providing a safe space for kids and adults of all ages could come and play games. The City can’t solve social disorder alone, and we shouldn't pretend otherwise.

Much of the response sits with the GNWT, the RCMP and health and social service partners. But city council does have ways it can leverage to help impact and influence in this area. I am in favour for a coordinated, dignified response in the downtown core that combines enforcement where it’s warranted, with outreach and support services, so we address causes as well as symptoms.

As a council, I would focus on the things that shape experience on the street: better lighting, cleanliness, helping activate vacant storefronts and lots (empty spaces invite trouble), and clear points of contact for businesses to report problems and see them followed up. I also want us to measure results. We keep throwing money and resources at all kind of projects, but do not track what is working and what is not. I would start with publishing downtown vacancy rates, service call data and response times, so we can see whether things are improving and hold ourselves accountable. Perception follows experience, and the only way to change the perception of downtown is to change what people actually see and feel when they’re there. I’d also support shared tools for small businesses, such as information on prevention measures and a simple way to share incident patterns. This would help the community also support each other with best practices for success and loss prevention.

Question 3 - Yellowknife needs more development to support housing, economic growth and the long-term needs of the community, but development can involve difficult trade-offs and face barriers that prevent projects from moving forward. As a member of City Council, how would you approach growth and development in Yellowknife?

Yellowknife needs more housing and more commercial activity. At the present time, too many good projects are slowed down by process rather than by real concerns. My approach is to make the trade-offs openly while removing friction that doesn’t protect anything.

Two reforms are the core of my platform:

• The first is variance reform: allowing the Development Officer to approve minor variances administratively up to a defined threshold, through a Zoning Bylaw amendment. Neighbours would keep their right of appeal. Right now, a project can need public notice to move a setback from three metres to 2.91 metres. That is a cost in time and money with no benefit to anyone.
• The second is one-window permitting: a single online application and tracking system for development and building permits, with concurrent city reviews, published service standards, and shared intake and inspection scheduling with the Office of the Fire Marshal and GNWT technical safety.

A practical first step is potentially co-locating the GNWT building-process teams with city teams as offices move. I’d report median days from complete application to permit every quarter, so applicants and residents can see whether it’s working. On specific sites, I support the council’s position that Tin Can Hill is a last-resort option, and I think all options should be reviewed with the public asking questions early. I appreciate the city’s proactive early review work through public works. I also want to see more infill and downtown development, which uses existing infrastructure and adds vibrancy where we already have services.

Question 4 - The major projects expected in the North will require a larger and more diverse workforce in the years ahead. How should Yellowknife prepare its residents and businesses to participate in and benefit from those opportunities?

The workforce demand coming with major projects will be large and varied, and it won’t be limited to jobs on site. There will be work in trades, logistics, accommodation, food, equipment, administration, finance and technology. The goal, in my opinion, is for Yellowknife residents and local businesses to get the first opportunity to fill it.

The City is not the main provider of training. That belongs to post secondary education such as Aurora College, the GNWT, Indigenous governments and industry. I think the city should be meeting with these groups and stakeholders regularly so training lines up with what employers will actually need, and so residents can see clear paths from learning to employment. There is a potential to partnership with the Chamber of Commerce on this perhaps as well, and have them lead this area. Indigenous participation also has to be a priority and built in from the start, in partnership with Indigenous governments, development corporations and organizations, not added afterward. For local businesses, the biggest barrier is often the ability to bid and scale up. The City can help by simplifying its own procurement processes so small local businesses can compete, sharing information about upcoming project needs early, and supporting entrepreneurs in getting started.

Finally, workforce attraction and retention depend on livable community conditions: housing people can afford, a vibrant downtown, recreation, and a place that feels safe. If we get those right, people who come north for a an opportunity have reasons to stay way past when the project is completed.